English Heritage

7th CenturyThe Island Abandoned

The site seems to have been abandoned for over 500 years.

1138Legend of King Arthur

Geoffrey of Monmouth writes his History of the Kings of Britain. His legendary King Arthur is conceived at Tintagel by Uther Pendragon and Igerna, wife of Duke Gorlois of Cornwall.

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Henry III's brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall, begins building himself a castle. He buys the land once the castle is finished.

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1337The Black Prince

The castle's great hall is subject to constant erosion, possibly causing a partial collapse. Edward the Black Prince, 1st Duke of Cornwall, reworks the hall into smaller buildings.

1480Stuff of Legends

Although the castle is little used, legends continue to flourish. Antiquary William Worcestre names Tintagel as the place of Arthur's birth, as well as his conception.

1600Desertion

The site is largely deserted, despite a survey recommending that the headland be strengthened against possible foreign landings.

1650King Arthur's Castle

References to King Arthur's Castle become a tangled mixture of local folklore and literary legends.

1930sExcavations

Archaeologist Ralegh Radford proves through his discovery of pottery fragments that Tintagel was once part of an early medieval trading network that reached across the Mediterranean world.

1983Island Fire

A major fire destroys the turf over a wide area.

1990sModern Research

Excavations on the island's eastern side confirm that the rectangular huts, great ditch and imported pottery date from the 5th and 6th centuries.

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